Spear of Longinus - ...and the Swastikalotus
March 22 2008 at 02:08:24 AM
Brisbane’s Spear of Longinus is one of those bands whose interviews turn out more interesting than any of their releases. The group’s David Icke-styled ideas serve up equal shares of intrigue and repulsion, blending spiritual fascism, Aryanism, Atlantean legend, conspiracy, and science fiction into a crude form of metal that includes, but is not limited to variations of Speed Metal, Black Metal, and Grunge.
Their latest cassette (a holdover from the recording of 2002's
Tyons album) contains more quotes from Hitler, Crowley, and Goethe than it does actual song lyrics but even in their better days, essence held reign over their (nonexistent) literary or technical prowess. Of the tape's 11 tracks, few broach some higher sphere of affection. Only the feeble, extra-terrestrial croon of vocalist, Camozotz, drunkenly floating inside the rough mixture of otherwise aimless dirges, careless Punk flirtations and languid drum stutter, is all that's left as the main attraction.
For all their esoteric rigamarole, one might expect that the music would individuate itself from those aspects of the genre not previously engendered to the great awakening. It does not. And while there’s something charming about balancing pretense with tracks like “Penis Abominator” and “Great Goat Architect of the Universe,” a weak instrumental (“The Guilded Culprit”) cribbed from Nirvana's Bleach LP is about as lively as things get. Might be worth the $5 for the set of striking, mythologically themed drawings by Italian Tattoo artist Nicola Solieri.
[Todd DePalma]
.jpg "Spooky Fingers: Binge")
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